Breaking x Making Promises

Gon's Grand Master Plan

The best course of action for Gon Freecss involved two prime goals: 1) Being able to spend the night with Killua again followed by 2) Being able to date him again. The first goal was easiest to accomplish as it would only annihilate his pride and not his entire heart as the second one would do.

But, in order to accomplish #2, he needed to execute the one task required to accomplish #1.

And, so, Gon's first task of that day upon leaving Killua's apartment was to find the one and only Knuckle Bine.

It physically pained him, though, to think of forgiving Knuckle's actions by apologizing for his own reaction. Gon had never felt so irrationally, rationally angry before in his entire life. It filled his insides with a fiery heat that burned straight from the pits of hellish jealousy and personal frustration. He was frustrated with himself for not being able to have Killua and Retz.

He wanted both of them so terribly it hurt to think about dividing himself like that. He didn't want either of them in the dark. He didn't want either of them to ghost the way Killua had for that entire month before Homecoming.

Killua had cut off the part of Gon that encompassed his entire shift into college life. Without Killua, he felt tongue-tied and socially clumsy, irritable. He had lost his filter around Killua and now that it was back, he didn't know what to say or how to say it. One thing, though, that came out of their breakup was the sharp left-turn his bank account took when he stopped rerouting to Starbucks, but even that he missed.

Gon tugged at the fabric of the sling strap as he came within viewing distance of Sigma Alpha. His thoughts soured and his stomach churned in disgust. He didn't want to look at, let alone talk to Knuckle, but he'd do it for the sake of having overnight privileges at Killua's place.

The thought of spending time with Killua again had Gon's brain exploding. It started as a delicate little bubble in his chest, popping like small, melodic chimes. It soon boiled over into a frenzy, though, one that he couldn't stop and soon he was galavanting down the sidewalk and spinning past the Sigma Alpha property line. In his head, there was a chorus, and among that chorus was an entire dance number suitable for Broadway.

He hopped, skipped, and leapt over the fence threshold with his free hand clutching the iron pole. The instant his foot touched down, however, every bubbly sensation inside of him popped at the familiar sight of Retz on the porch couch.

Gon stuttered to a halt. Dread was far from the sensation he felt now. It was so far from it, in fact, that he wondered how it was possible for him to feel this way when he knew what was coming.

Retz, one of his favorite two human being in the entire planet, was looking absolutely radiant that day in a pair of green leggings and a jean jacket littered with iron-on patches. The bubbles fizzled out in his chest and were replaced with a cozy, warm pocket that soaked away all of his reservations about apologizing to Knuckle.

Gon jogged up the stoop, smiling wide, as Retz tapped a pencil to her puffed out cheeks. She pouted down at the book in her lap until the exact moment Gon hopped, skipped, and leapt onto the couch beside her. He twisted around, put his sling to the open air, and settled in with his head on her lap where he could cover the book and get all of the attention for himself.

Retz laughed and said, "Hey, hey, hun."

"Hey, hey, to you, too," Gon said. He preened at the sensation of Retz' hand combing through his hair. He closed his eyes and put his nose to her knee. She smelled like... a bonfire, smokey and warm. "What're you doing out here? It's chilly."